GDT: 11/29/14 - 7:00PM EDT - Ottawa VS Tampa Bay

[berlin]

I am absolutely amazed and afraid at how many of you want to trade Killorn before Connolly. Hint: one is not like the other.

Jury is still out IMO. As of today yes your right, but lets see where they are in a few weeks.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Glad we won but Ottawa, without Bobby Ryan, and on the second night of a b2b is as close to a cakewalk as you can get in the NHL. Really glad to see Heddy seemed ok. Beyond that, we'll figure out our glut of forwards later on.

 

[Leonardo87]

I thought Drouin looked amazing, maybe I was wrong and the threat of being scratched really lit a fire under his ass. Still won't be happy when he sits in the press box though

I think him playing with Flip will be good. They were really flying tonight, with some good chances.

I think the plan is to eventually move Drouin up with Stammer and Cally. But playing with Flip is the next best thing, imo.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

I'd also like to see Stralman play with a knucklehead like Carle on the second pairing. He's good enough to keep one of our D-men with strong idiot tendencies out of trouble.

 

[Langdon Alger]

Good game tonight Lightning fans. Boy, I really like your team. Also, I really hate my team minus our goalies. Care to trade rosters?

 

[CupsOverCash]

Connolly had one bad pass back to Bishop, other than that he actually played a good game. Actually thought that whole line played well. I think the Stamkos line is looking dangerous these days, so no need to move Killorn off that line. Maybe later. I like that we have a rotation of these young guys. Keeps them fresh and hungry too. SY will be in position to trade one of them for some D if we want to. But as of now it's not a necessity as we look ok there. I'd like to see Connolly start to get on the score sheet and improve his value. Killorn is looking great and maybe can be an asset to trade if he keeps looking like he has but he's also looking tougher and tougher to trade. So I don't know what they should do other than stick with what they are doing. If it's not broken don't fix it.

 

[Cigar City]

Connolly was TERRIBLE. Turnovers as far as the eye can see. Just waive his ass already. Two turnovers in the offensive zone on power plays. One on the boards and one from BEHIND THE NET. Are you kidding me?

Another one of those "all of the tools but no toolbox" players.

 

[The Macho King]

Connolly was TERRIBLE. Turnovers as far as the eye can see. Just waive his ass already. Two turnovers in the offensive zone on power plays. One on the boards and one from BEHIND THE NET. Are you kidding me?

Another one of those "all of the tools but no toolbox" players.

I think the PP time for Connolly is a way to try and get him going, but it's clearly not working.

 

[Tmix]

Connolly was TERRIBLE. Turnovers as far as the eye can see. Just waive his ass already. Two turnovers in the offensive zone on power plays. One on the boards and one from BEHIND THE NET. Are you kidding me?

Another one of those "all of the tools but no toolbox" players.

B-BUT he was playing the best hockey of his career pre-injury!!

 

[Cigar City]

I think the PP time for Connolly is a way to try and get him going, but it's clearly not working.

I really try to look at myself as unbiased. The only player it seems like I have an agenda against is Killorn, and that's going away with his efforts over the last 10 games.

I look at Connolly and I see a big, heavy skater who can use his body to help him in all aspects of the game. Awesome type of player that was playing pretty well before he got hurt.

But still. He has yet to produce at the NHL level and I don't see that changing. It's depressing to see Drouin in the press box when this guy has been given so many chances. Hopefully he gets back to his play pre-injury and finally starts producing, but I think that's a pipe-dream.

 

[The Macho King]

I really try to look at myself as unbiased. The only player it seems like I have an agenda against is Killorn, and that's going away with his efforts over the last 10 games.

I look at Connolly and I see a big, heavy skater who can use his body to help him in all aspects of the game. Awesome type of player that was playing pretty well before he got hurt.

But still. He has yet to produce at the NHL level and I don't see that changing. It's depressing to see Drouin in the press box when this guy has been given so many chances. Hopefully he gets back to his play pre-injury and finally starts producing, but I think that's a pipe-dream.

Hey, I'm the choir. Preach to someone else.

Real talk? I saw more in Panik than I have in Connolly. Panik just does the dumbest thing possible at certain moments. Between the two, I think the reason we stuck with Connolly over Panik was sunk cost - Connolly's draft pedigree is the only reason he's wearing a Lightning sweater.

 

[Cigar City]

Hey, I'm the choir. Preach to someone else.

Lol it seems like we are in the minority, though. Just waiting for the days we don't have to see one of Vladdy/Paquette/Drouin scratched because of him.

I agree with the pedigree comment. I think Yzerman is stubborn because he was technically his first pick as a GM, but dude. **** is getting old.

 

[Sky04]

I don't think Connolly was Terribad this game, he created some stuff, but an example of what's wrong with Connolly would be when he created that 2 on 1 with flip, they got the shot off, drouin takes the puck, goes for a cruise and Connolly literally just stops thinking and stands there watching Drouin instead of moving. He does this on the PP too, parks himself in front of the net, great but then doesn't adjust to the play in anyway.

 

[The Macho King]

Okay... I just noticed something somewhat bothersome.

Connolly had 18:24 of ice time. Stamkos has 18:17. Triplets had like 15 a piece.

 

[MattM92]

Saw how much Ottawa was pressing early and knew that if we kept the game within a goal going into the 3rd, our speed and depth was going to wear them down.

 

[DFC]

Okay... I just noticed something somewhat bothersome.

Connolly had 18:24 of ice time. Stamkos has 18:17. Triplets had like 15 a piece.

More and more I'm beginning to believe they've actually given up on him but they're trying to boost his trade value. Teddy Purcell, let's not forget, was in a top-six role last year right up until... the trade deadline. Which is also, not so coincidentally, when Ryan Malone started getting scratched.

Premium minutes to a guy with nothing but an AHL resume backing him up? I can't help but think management is up to something.

 

[CarpeNoctem]

More and more I'm beginning to believe they've actually given up on him but they're trying to boost his trade value. Teddy Purcell, let's not forget, was in a top-six role last year right up until... the trade deadline. Which is also, not so coincidentally, when Ryan Malone started getting scratched.

Premium minutes to a guy with nothing but an AHL resume backing him up? I can't help but think management is up to something.

I think you might be right. Use him as bait to get a D upgrade.

 

[Mikeaveli]

'Drej on his longest scoreless streak of the season, 4 games.

 

[Jacko95]

I think you might be right. Use him as bait to get a D upgrade.

Maybe they try to get the Devils management on a Connolly hype train so they trade us Larsson for him Wet dreams.... I know but there is nobody I want more in this league than Larsson.

Also when do we start drafting Swedish defenders? They seem to work great down here...

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I'm also on the train to trade Connolly.
Hopefully we could get a similar player for him and the change of scenario works for both teams.

Hedman IS AMAZING

 

[DFC]

We have some games coming up that could easily be trap games. Need to keep our foot on the gas and pick up the points we're supposed to pick up. Times won't always be so rosy and it'll be nice to have some points in the bank.

 

[Brie]

I have no real problem with Connolly but I don't like that we have to sit some guys that actually produces for him. I don't know if traiding him is the way to go but these are the lines I like to see right now:

Killorn - Stamkos - Callahan
Palat - Johnson - Kucherov
Drouin - Filppula - Vladdy/Paquette
Brown/Morrow - Boyle - Vladdy/Paquette

I feel line this is the one that could work because all these players knows their places on the team and ca contribute and Connolly needs to pick up fast or he will fall behind.

 

[BOLTMAN]

I don't think Connolly was Terribad this game, he created some stuff, but an example of what's wrong with Connolly would be when he created that 2 on 1 with flip, they got the shot off, drouin takes the puck, goes for a cruise and Connolly literally just stops thinking and stands there watching Drouin instead of moving. He does this on the PP too, parks himself in front of the net, great but then doesn't adjust to the play in anyway.

I still want to give Connolly a good chance still but this is a definite problem with him that I had already brought up the first week or so into the season on this board which was, I think, the Flyer game when a Boston fan was sitting next to me and brought it to my attention. He said why is that guy standing still he needs to have his feet moving.

More and more I'm beginning to believe they've actually given up on him but they're trying to boost his trade value. Teddy Purcell, let's not forget, was in a top-six role last year right up until... the trade deadline. Which is also, not so coincidentally, when Ryan Malone started getting scratched.

Premium minutes to a guy with nothing but an AHL resume backing him up? I can't help but think management is up to something.

Again I still want to give Connolly A little more time but I agree that this is sort of what Stevie is thinking just like he did with teddy and Ryan. And Stevie will win either way. If Connolly shows something than great and if he doesn't he still will have value because he will start gathering points in the top 6 just like killorn is doing. anyone playing top six will get something by accident. If not you see what happened to teddy and Ryan.

I'm also on the train to trade Connolly.
Hopefully we could get a similar player for him and the change of scenario works for both teams.

Hedman IS AMAZING

Just a little more time and if he can't get there I just might jump on that train too but just as long as we get equal disappointment back. (the switch of atmosphere theory trade)

 

[Leonardo87]

'Drej on his longest scoreless streak of the season, 4 games.

He is not getting top PP time, and his 5 on 5 mins have been sorta reduced. He has done the intangibles on that triplets line, but is not showing up on the score sheet. I think he will be fine.

 

[HoseEmDown]

My take on trading Connolly. Since some of you want to waive him what value do you think he has that'll bring back a top 4 upgrade?

Say we do trade him for a veteran defender, now we start scratching Sustr. We also then have to call up Blunden if a forward is injured. We lose a decent forward and we stagnate Sustr. Sustr then becomes nothing more then a depth defender because he loses valuable development ice time.

So this vet defender helps but we don't win the cup and walks. Sustr becomes Barberio as a #7 only and we lose a potential 2/3 line 20 goal scorer. Just makes no sense to me right now. We should be scratching Morrow/Brown/Barberio and let Connolly/Namestnikov/Paquette all play.